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The Way of Kings

The Way of Kings

The First Book of the Breathtaking Epic Stormlight Archive from the Worldwide Fantasy Sensation
AdventureEpic Fantasy
Pages
1132
Published
2010
Language
English

Synopsis

On the shattered plains of Roshar, where highstorms of supernatural force regularly devastate the land, Kaladin Stormblessed is a slave forced to fight in a war he does not understand. Once a proud soldier and surgeon's apprentice, he struggles to protect the men in his bridge crew from certain death while discovering he can manipulate a mysterious energy called Stormlight. Across the world, Shallan Davar travels to study under the brilliant heretic scholar Jasnah Kholin, whose secrets may determine the fate of her family — and all civilization. Meanwhile, highprince Dalinar Kholin is haunted by visions during the highstorms that show him ancient warriors called the Knights Radiant. Built on over a decade of world-building, The Way of Kings launches one of the most ambitious fantasy series in the genre — with an original magic system, a vast world of alien ecology and spren, and interlocking perspectives that reward thousands of pages of investment.

Prose complexity
7/10

Vibe

AdventurousDarkAtmospheric

Genres

Adventure Epic Fantasy Fantasy High Fantasy

About the author

B
Brandon Sanderson

Born in Lincoln, Nebraska in 1975, Brandon Sanderson spent his early twenties working graveyard shifts at a hotel — writing novels at the front desk between guest check-ins. By the time his debut, Elantris, was published by Tor Books in 2005, he had completed thirteen novels in the drawer. His subsequent Mistborn trilogy and the ongoing Stormlight Archive series established him as the primary architect of the Cosmere, an interconnected fictional universe in which most of his fantasy series share...

Characters

Kaladin StormblessedProtagonist

An enslaved former soldier who discovers he can manipulate Stormlight while protecting his bridge crew.

Shallan DavarProtagonist

A young woman studying under a heretic scholar whose secrets could determine civilization's fate.

Dalinar KholinProtagonist

A highprince haunted by visions of the ancient Knights Radiant.

Szeth-son-son-VallanoAntagonist

The Assassin in White, a Truthless warrior forced to obey whoever holds his Oathstone, wielding the ability to Surgebind.

SylphrenaSupporting

An honorspren who bonds with Kaladin, appearing as a tiny glowing figure with childlike curiosity about humans.

All characters in The Way of Kings

Frequently asked questions

  • Is there an earlier version of The Way of Kings?

    Yes. Sanderson wrote a version called The Way of Kings Prime in 2003, but later rewrote it almost completely. The original draft is available for free on his website.

  • How long is The Stormlight Archive planned to be?

    Ten books in two arcs of five. The first five books — ending with Wind and Truth (2024) — form a complete arc. The second arc, set later in the Cosmere timeline, is planned but not yet written.

  • Do I need to read Sanderson's other Cosmere books before this one?

    No. The Way of Kings is designed as a standalone entry point to the Cosmere. Connections to Mistborn and other works deepen with re-reads but the story is fully self-contained for newcomers.

  • Where did this book debut on bestseller charts?

    The Way of Kings debuted at number seven on The New York Times bestseller list in its first week of publication in August 2010.

  • Who is Wit, the jester figure who appears throughout the book?

    Wit is a recurring Cosmere character named Hoid who appears in different roles across all Cosmere novels. His true nature and goals span the entire saga and become progressively clearer over the series.

  • What makes the magic system unusual?

    Stormlight magic (Surgebinding) requires inhaling Stormlight captured in infused gemstones. Each of the ten Radiant orders can manipulate two specific elemental forces, making fight scenes feel like structured puzzles.

  • Is the book slow to start?

    The first half is deliberately paced while Sanderson builds the world and multiple POVs before converging. Most readers find the second-half payoff substantial; the book is widely regarded as one that rewards re-reading.

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